Pumpkin cannon critically injures woman

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Paramedics tend to a person who was injured after an apparatus used to launch pumpkins into the air exploded at the World Championship Punkin Chunkin Contest in Bridgeville, Del., Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016. (Kyle Grantham/The Wilmington News-Journal via AP)

BRIDGEVILLE, Del. (AP) — A video from the scene of a Delaware pumpkin cannon explosion that injured two people shows a piece of the cannon hurtling through the air toward people behind the cannon.

Cries can be heard from the crowd as some people rush toward the spot where it landed at the Punkin Chunkin’ competition Sunday. Delaware State Police said in a statement that the trap door of the Pumpkin Reaper cannon separated as a pumpkin was launched at the competition that involves homemade contraptions.

Police say a 39-year-old woman was hit in the face and was critically injured. A 56-year-old man sustained non-life threatening injuries. Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale says the two were not among the crowd of spectators but among the launchers.

Police didn’t have an update on their conditions Monday morning.

Spectator David Aronson, 52, of Falls Church, Virginia, said he was about 25 yards behind the cannon when it exploded. He said a piece blew off the launcher that was the size of a car door.

“It arcs down on this woman who is running away as it hits her,” he said.

Aronson said the woman appeared motionless as people gathered around her. A short time later, the competition’s announcer asked the crowd to pray as she was flown to a hospital. The announcer then said the contest was over, Aronson said.

Aronson said organizers tried to take precautions by using nets and placing spectators 25 yards away from the pumpkin launchers.

Punkin Chunkin dates back to 1986. It had been canceled for the past two years because of problems finding insurance.

In 2014, a Sussex County farmer had stopped making his property available for the contest because a volunteer was injured in an ATV accident and filed a lawsuit. The suit was later dismissed. Organizers for the 2016 contest said an insurance policy was in place to protect the landowner.

WASHINGTON – Hillary Clinton challenged Congress on Thursday to combat fake and misleading news on social media, using a post-election appearance to tackle an issue that gripped her presidential campaign and culminated with a shooting incident Sunday in Northwest Washington.